God can Raise Up Children from Stones

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Have you ever thought about John the Baptist's words in Matthew 3?

Speaking to the Pharisees and Sadducees, he upbraids them when they come to his baptismal services (lol) at the River Jordan. With boldness he asks them (and I paraphrase), Why are you lot here, you generation of snakes. Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Don't think that your religious position, your outward show of piety and your long robes of office will save you. No, you, like everyone who comes here, need to truly repent of your hypocrisy and sin. Don't think, that because you class yourselves as children of Abraham, that that is enough! You will not receive special treatment because of your heritage. God is calling you and all the children of Abraham to repent and turn from your wicked ways.

You see, I think they were just there to find out what was going on but never did it cross their minds, that they needed to repent and be baptised. No, in their minds they were exempt from such a thing. That was for the sinners and in their minds they most certainly did not fit into that category. Sound familiar? Religious people don't change. They still have a holier than thou attitude. Everyone else but me as Don Francisco sang.

But John the Baptist said something else which is very interesting to them in v9

9And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

These stones? John the Baptist refers to specific stones, at or possibly in the River Jordan. Was he referring to a few stones lying about at the River's edge or were they more specific stones?

I can just imagine John the Baptist dressed in his goat's hair, this wild man who was the last of the prophets of the old covenant rebuking the religious leaders. He was the messenger who was preparing the way for the Messiah (Malachi 3v1), the voice crying in the wilderness as prophecied by Isaiah (Isaiah 40v3-8) and he says God is able of these stones to raise up children.

In Joshua 3 we read about what happened when God opened the River Jordan, so that the people of Israel could enter into the Promised Land after journeying through the wilderness for 40 years, until the older generation who had disobeyed God and walked in unbelief had all passed away.

The crossing of the River Jordan is a message in it's own right (especially the Priesthood going before and carrying the ark with the people of Israel 2000 cubits behind them) but I want to focus on one particular aspect of the account in Chapter 4. God instructs Joshua to appoint 12 men from each of the tribes of Israel to do something after they have passed over Jordan. From the very place where the priests stood firm with the ark of the covenant until all the people had passed over, they were to take 12 stones on their shoulders and carry them to the the place were they would lodge that night.

The purpose: That when the children would ask what the stones were for, they would be told that they were a memorial to the miraculous events that took place when God cut off and stopped the waters of Jordan so that people could cross over!

In v9 we read

9And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests which bare the ark of the covenant stood: and they are there unto this day.

Not only did the 12 men set up 12 stones representing the 12 tribes of Israel but Joshua set up 12 stones at the very spot where the priests stood in Jordan until the people had crossed over! The Word tells us that they are there until this day.

I put it to you, that John the Baptist did not refer to random stones but to the very stones that had been set up either in Jordan or on its bank (maybe both) when he said that God was able with these stones to raise up children!

The reality is that God has raised up Abraham's seed - those both Jews and Gentiles who have been born again of the incorruptible seed of the Word of God - as living stones! We who were once afar off and estranged from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenant of promise, being without God and without hope have been brought near by the blood of Christ. He has made of the two (Jews and Gentiles) one new man so making peace. You can read about this great reconciliation and merging of Jews and Gentiles in Ephesians 2v11-22.

We have been fitted or made worthy to participate in this great salvation and plan of redemption, not through any works of our own but through God's amazing grace and mercy.

As such, we are now living stones and are being built into a spiritual house or temple. 1 Peter 2v5 and Ephesians 2v21&22.

The tabernacle and the temple (especially Moses' tabernacle) which were patterns of the tabernacle in heaven were also types or patterns of the church, the bride of Christ. God is fitting and compacting together the living stones (you and me if we are blood washed) into a holy temple or tabernacle so that he might fill us with His glory, with His Very Self.

Ephesians 2v21&22

21In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:

22In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

He is building His Ekkelsia (called out assembly) and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. He is building it, not man! He is putting each stone in its preordained place, with its God given ministry and gifting.

Remember in Solomon's Temple no stone was seen. No man will be seen in this last great move of God in the earth. The stones were covered with wood and then pure gold 1Kings 6v18-22.

No flesh will glory in His presence. No superstar preachers. No! The living stones will be so conformed to the image of Christ and He will so indwell His church that He alone will be seen - like the gold which represents divinity and the pricelessness of Christ in Solomon's temple.

Haggai 2v6-9 says

6¶For thus saith the LORD of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land;

7And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts.

8The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the LORD of hosts.

9The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the LORD of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the LORD of hosts.

What a future! What a hope! What a promise!

Jesus is coming back for a glorious church without spot or wrinkle. We seem far from that description but God will do a quick work in these last days. He will purify and separate unto Himself a Royal Priesthood of Believers. They will know their God and in the midst of great persecution and tribulation will manifest the glory and power of God in the earth, so that the endtime harvest of souls will be brought in.

Revelation 7v14, speaking of the great multitude, who were arrayed in white robes from every tribe and tongue and people

14¶And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest (who this great multitude is) And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.